Time flies.

I had my first official week back after the 2-weeks the schools had off for Easter/spring break, and I will tell you one thing, it is GOOD to be back into the normal schedule I've had! It was difficult for me to sit around from Wednesday-Saturday for two weeks straight. I enjoy having busy weeks, not only because it makes time go by quicker, but I can't just sit and do nothing. That's one thing I've found out about myself while being here. I'm the type of person who has to be busy all the time. I have to be doing something. It's hard to believe that April is almost over and May will soon be here (this Thursday)!

Melanie and I will be leaving for Barcelona, Spain on April 30th and will be returning May 4th. We wanted to have a little vacation away from the clouds and coldness for a few days. We both wanted to visit Spain and it's a warm place too, which is exactly what we were looking for... and a relaxing time. We'll be taking one last trip May 14th through May 19th to Rome, Italy. We were told we'd be dumb if we didn't take a trip to Rome while being over here because flights are so cheap, so we're definitely taking advantage of that. We'll be back for a few days and then Melanie's mom and brother arrive on May 31st and will be staying for about a week. Once they leave, Jarad (my best friend) will be here on a mission trip for the middle two weeks of June, which I'm really excited about because I haven't seen him in two years! Way too long to not see him! Then, the final week in June, which is the very last week I will be here, my best friend in high school (Kayla) will be coming on the 24th and flying back home with me on July 1st, which is really exciting and good for me to have someone with me when I have to leave the people here behind. I think May and June are really going to fly by since there are so many things going on between now and then. If time is already flying, it really will with more scheduled things!

I haven't been this excited about coming back to Texas, coming back home, in a while. I'm so ready to see my family it's unreal! In the 12 months I'll have been gone, I've been seen them for 3 weeks (last week in August to the third week in September). And, as the family person I am, it has been incredibly hard to be away from them, but in all this time, I know and feel like I have grown closer to my family even though I'm an ocean away. I'm really excited about going home and seeing everyone again! It's been far too long! I'm looking forward to my homecoming!! I miss my family so much!!

My experience here has been nothing but a good experience for me. I've had some really good times and some really horrible times where I didn't think I'd be able to make it through, but I did and was strengthened through that. I've learned that living in the same town as my family isn't near as bad as I thought it was. I mean, I'm moving back to Canadian. It's seriously where I want to be. I'm too much of a family person to not be really near to them. I've realized that I really despise cold weather. I mean, I already knew I did, but this cold weather from the minute I stepped off the plane until now is just a bit ridiculous. I've seen nothing but dead plants for the past 7 months and FINALLY things are starting to green up and it's the end of April! haha.

I've become more independent than I ever thought I could be. I've learned that I absolutely love children and want to work in the school system. I used to think I didn't make a difference in people's lives, but have realized that I have and I do make a difference. I've never fully relied on God more than I have while being here. I've made drastic changes in my lifestyle. I've learned that I don't want to get married until I'm over 35-years-old, or if I do, the guy I'm marrying will be moving to where I am because I'm not leaving my family again until my little brother, Landon, graduates from high school (hehe). I'm serious. :) I've learned that I really enjoy having alone time and have picked up a new hobby: reading, which is something I NEVER did before coming here. I realized that there were a lot of things back home in Texas that I took for granted.

Like I said earlier, things here are going so well and so quickly! I remember it being December and thinking, "July is NEVER going to get here." And, it's almost here. Just around the corner! I'm so ready to be home!!


Until next time, love to you all...

Easter Sunday

These are just a few pictures of the Scotland team on Easter Sunday. We haven't taken a picture together as a team since the first day I got here, so, it was definitely time to update and take a team photo. I thought I'd share them with you; they turned out great!

February & March Newsletter

JUST AN UPDATE.
I decided to combine my last four months into two different newsletters instead of four separate newsletters. February and March will be together; April and May will be together in the next newsletter. Things have remained pretty constant in the work I am doing here.

I was off for about a day or two on the ShopMobility bus due to all the snow we had gotten at the beginning of February. Once we thought the snow was over and done with, here it came! It snowed for two-three days in a row and finally stopped. I haven’t seen any snow fall since. I’m still thoroughly enjoying my time in Kirktonholme Primary School as an aide to one of the primary one (Kindergarten) teachers. She has been such a joy to work with and I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher to work with. The kids are absolutely brilliant. At times, they make me want to pull my hair out, but what five-year-old doesn’t from time to time?

One of the ladies that we serve at the lunch club hasn’t been to the club for the past two months. She was in the hospital for a good while due to an illness she had and is now back home, but hasn’t returned to the lunch club. One of the men who was coming regularly just passed away in the month of March. It’s sad to see them go, especially since I’ve gotten to know them pretty well. Another one of the men was put into the hospital to have some sort of important surgery. I haven’t heard all the details yet, but we were told he’d be okay. We’re down to only two people now.

In the month of February, Melanie, Zach, and I are friends with a lovely lady on the ShopMobility bus. Her name is Nancy. She invited the three of us to her home one Saturday and informed us that we were the first people she’s ever invited into her home and she’s lived there for forty-three years!! It was an honor to have been the first and only visitors she’s ever had (excluding her family). We had tea, lots of snacks, and watched Mamma Mia and The Jazz Singer with her. We had a great time, a good laugh, and wonderful conversation time with her. It was a great chance to get to know her better.



For Valentine’s Day, Justin and Zach decided to make us dinner. It was a really great time to be together as a team. We had scrambled eggs, homemade biscuits with butter and honey (which was something we made ourselves completely miserable with), bacon, sausage, and fried potatoes. It was really the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had, but then again, I haven’t been a part of very many, just twenty-three of them.

LIPSCOMB GROUP
During the month of March, we had a group come over from the States. They came from Lipscomb University which is in Nashville, Tennessee. They arrived on the 14th of March and stayed in East Kilbride until the 21st of March, which was the day they left for Nashville.



Melanie and I housed one of the girls in the group. Her name was Amy and she was such a joy to have around! We definitely enjoyed our time with them. Starting that Monday, we all got into a bus and drove into Glasgow where we went to the Govanhill Woman’s Project to garden, plant hanging baskets, jet wash the tiles, and paint the fence. It was the most dreadful day of the week as well! It was raining, cold, cloudy, and windy all day long. We were freezing, but we were able to meet several of the women who lived in the building and see how they lived. The women there are those who are addicted to drugs and trying to quit. It’s a really great facility and Christian-based. One of the women who attends the West Mains Church of Christ works there.

On Tuesday, we worked at the Community Hall where we attend church. The hall was in desperate need of a paint job, so we were there all day painting. It took about four to five coats of paint to cover up the horrible paint that was painted on the walls. I don’t think anyone knew to prime it first!



On Wednesday, we went to a primary school that Justin and Melanie volunteer at (Greenburn Primary School). There, we planted big pots with all sorts of flower bulbs, cleaned a couple rooms inside the building, cleaned up the trees and bushes (trimming, etc.), oiled and cleaned the bicycles that the kids play on, and basically did anything the head master wanted us to do! It was a great day to work outside! Sunshine, no wind, and hardly any wind.

On Thursday, we headed into ShopMobility to mop the floor where the scooters, power chairs, and wheel chairs had left marks on the floor. We also cleaned every single scooter, power chair, and wheel chair that was sitting in the room as well as scrubbed the walls where there were black marks from the wheels of the chairs.



On Friday, it was our day “away” and to take the group somewhere in Scotland to do some sight-seeing. It was definitely some sight-seeing for myself as well. We went to a couple of towns I had never been to and I really enjoyed being able to see more of the country-side of Scotland and not the city. It was nice to be able to get away.

BIRTHDAY IN PARIS
Our coordinator has given us three-weeks holiday to take whenever we please after the month of January. I had the great idea to go to Paris for my birthday for about four days. Thankfully, I had saved enough money before joining the AIM program knowing there would be a moment like this to travel! I was truly blessed to be able to spend my twenty-fourth birthday in Paris, France. Never in a million years would I have though I would ever be given that opportunity. Luckily, getting to places in Europe is quite cheap, much cheaper than it would be to fly from the States, so I took advantage of it knowing that I’ll never get this opportunity again. I was able to see the Eiffel Tower (and touch it!), Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint-Sulpice Church, St. Germaine Church, the Louvre, we went into Versailles, and many other things I was able to come across just by walking through the city. Melanie and I arrived on the 23rd of March and left the 26th of March.



It was very intimidating when we stepped off the bus (that took us from the airport into Paris) and walked down into the metro station (train station) and asked how to get to a certain place and they didn’t speak English. I knew then and there it was going to be a difficult trip, but luckily, we found our way around and to our surprise, many people spoke English, which made it easier for us. We did try to use some of the language, but didn’t know much, we figured it’s better to try than not to!

We came across a little restaurant where we ate dinner for my birthday. It was called, Indiana. It was a Tex-Mex restaurant that had the BEST chicken and cheese quesadillas with chips and salsa! Alright, so maybe not the best, but the best in Europe! It’s hard to find a really good Tex-Mex or even Mexican restaurant around here, and we had to go to Paris to find one.

NOT MUCH TIME LEFT. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!
As you all know, my time here is coming to an end. At the beginning of April, I had twelve weeks left. It’s hard for me to believe that I’ve been here for as long as I have and that it’s already time to go back. I’ve had several days where it makes me sick to think that I have to leave, but I’m very excited at the same time to be back and to see all of you.
I have had some wonderful times and some horrible times while being here. I am so thankful that you have been a part of my journey here in Scotland. You all are constantly in my thoughts and I miss you all everyday. I’m looking forward to seeing all of you soon (so strange to say, but good)! Thanks for helping me make a difference in East Kilbride!


Prayer requests:
* Our families

* Our team and the work being done in East Kilbride

* AIMers preparing to leave the field in July

* West Mains Church of Christ

* 2007-2010 AIMers on the field:
-New Zealand
-Mexico (3 teams)
-Honduras
-South Africa
-Grass Valley, California
-Childress, Texas

Writing soon...

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to let all of you know that I made it safely back from Paris. I'll be writing my newsletter soon and will be updating you all on my trip, as well. I hope you've had a wonderful week so far! Take care and know that God is blessing you each and every day... just think... you woke up this morning. That's a blessing in itself. :) Enjoy your day today! I'll be writing soon.


Until next time, love to you all...